Russian stocks closed the weekend with little movement. The MOEX Russia Index stayed flat by the end of Saturday’s session, showing no overall change.
A few companies managed to stand out on the upside. Power grid operator Rosseti gained a little over one percent. Gold miner Polyus also inched higher, adding seventeen points to settle at 2,211. Oil company Tatneft’s preferred shares ticked up slightly to close near 640.
On the downside, Rostelecom slipped a fraction, ending the day just below 70. AFK Sistema lost a little as well, closing at 16.68. The Moscow Exchange’s own stock also dipped, finishing at 183.90.
Overall, winners outpaced losers on the market. Ninety-eight stocks rose while only thirty-eight fell, with thirteen unchanged. The Russian Volatility Index, which reflects investor expectations of price swings, stayed steady at 33.16.
In global commodities, gold prices kept climbing. December futures rose more than one percent to trade above $3,418 an ounce. Oil also firmed up slightly. US crude settled around $63.66 a barrel, while Brent edged up to about $67.73.
On the currency front, the ruble had a mixed session. It strengthened a little against the US dollar, with the exchange rate at 80.55. But it lost ground against the euro, which climbed close to 94.40. Meanwhile, the US dollar index, which tracks the dollar against other major currencies, dropped nearly one percent to 97.60.